There’s one thing that a lot of people this holiday season have to face — indigestion! This is inevitable as food comes aplenty. And it’s not just the loads of goodies that you stuff in your mouth that can cause this. The stress of meeting and greeting people and all the preparations beforehand contribute to the digestive problem!
Symptoms such as abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, heartburn and loss of appetite can certainly leave the merriment in shambles. Of course you can always deal with the problem by taking antacids, ginger tea and all sorts of remedies — but why go though it when it’s possible to prevent indigestion from happening in the first place?
Continue reading to know some tips and tricks to keeping indigestion at bay. Without this really uncomfortable issue, your holidays will surely be merrier!
Eat Your Food Slowly
Nothing can leave you with indigestion better that wolfing down on your meals in mere seconds. Before your body signals you that you are already full, it’s too late — your stomach is already jam-packed and it leaves you with discomfort rather than pleasure. It is a good idea to spend 20 minutes enjoying your meals. Savor all the delightful flavors bursting in your mouth so that you can keep yourself from finishing your plate at lighting-speed pace.
Refrain From Chattering a Lot
With all the family and friends around you, it can be extra challenging to avoid chatting while eating. However, you should do your best to keep your thoughts to your self for a while. Otherwise, you will only introduce air into your tummy, and air is something that definitely takes up space — lots and lots of stomach space!
Avoid Drinking Before and During Meals
Filling your tummy with fluid is a no-no before having your meals, especially if you are expecting to eat a lot. That is why you should refrain from drinking anything — water, wine, coffee, alcohol, etc. — prior to starting to devour what’s on the table. The only time you may start drinking is after eating.
Stay Away From Carbonated Drinks
No matter if it’s the holidays or not, it’s not really a good idea to guzzle down carbonated drinks. Other that they are loaded with sugar, these beverages are well-known indigestion triggers because of two reasons. Reason number 1: they are highly acidic. Combining these acidic drinks with your stomach acids spells digestive disasters. Reason number 2: the air bubbles in them take up lots of precious stomach space. Drink water if you don’t want indigestion bugging you.
Ditch Foods Known to Trigger Indigestion
There are foods that are known to cause indigestion that easily. The cold weather can make spicy foods really tempting, but you should stay away from them because they can put you at high risk of having a bout of indigestion. You should refrain from pumping fatty foods down your throat as well.
Have a Small Serving of Each
Your digestive tract tends to end up sluggish after dealing with a whopping serving of food. Remember to opt for smaller servings of goodies to keep that from happening. During the holiday season most especially, you definitely want your digestive tract to work at an optimal pace. Otherwise, you are at high risk of suffering from indigestion. If there are far too many treats on the table tempting your taste buds, enjoy them all by getting a small serving of each one.
Never Wear Tight-Fitting Clothes
Showing off your figure by wearing tight-fitting garments can make you look phenomenal in the pictures. But when the food starts flowing, you will definitely feel horrible! It is a good idea to steer clear of form-fitting clothes — tops and bottoms — to give your belly plenty of legroom, keeping the holidays indigestion-free.
